Where do you get your backpacks from? We usually do Target or Toys R Us but I'm sick of them. They don't seem to last long. I'd also like to stay away from character backpacks because I don't want to hear in a few months how she no longer likes that character. Kiddo is going to be in 1st grade but she still needs a good sized backpack for her folder and projects. I also stick her lunch bag in her backpack and during the winter there are hats and 2 pair of gloves, so it has to be roomy. What's a good sized, sturdy backpack??
LL Bean, Lands End, or go to a sporting goods store and get a Jansport. They will all last FOREVER, literally.
Try the camping or luggage section at Walmart or Target. They hold up very well. There is a lot of room for everything-supplies, winter gear, etc.
LL Bean. My kids have had the same backpacks for 5-6 years, and they are still in perfect structural condition. They last though school, travel, summer camp, sleepovers - everything!
Other durable and guaranteed brands are Lands End and Jansport.
Lands End! LL Bean! They cost more but will last forever!
Jansport. My SD just asked for one for college, and my backpack through college was a plain red Jansport backpack. I still have it. You can get them with leather on the bottom for extra wear. Then encourage your DD to do sew-on patches for her bag if she wants some bling - something that can be removed later if she doesn't like it anymore.
Target most years. Then I bought a much more expensive one from REI. It STILL only lasted one year, because summer camp ruins them. Then there was the banana incident...
The next one I got from a sporting goods store (Dick's) and that has held up best of all, and wasn't much more expensive than the Target ones. I also learned to keep the trashed one around and use it again at summer camp this year.
After the crappy character one my daughter got as gift last year broke 2 weeks into school, I bought one with a matching lunch box at Garnet Hill. It has been great -No issues, still looks great and zippers all function wonderfully.
We always try to buy the backpacks from the sporting goods department, even at Walmart, they seem to be a better quality than the backpacks in the back to school sections. They may cost a few dollars more, but we've never had a problem with them lasting the whole school year, they usually have a few more pockets for organizing and you can avoid the trendy cartoon characters, which means your kid has a unique backpack instead of one of 14 Tinkerbell packpacks in her grade!
I have had and used a Jansport backpack since I was in 9th grade. That's 16 years, and it even accompanied me on a trip to Europe! I think when my mom bought it for me it was in the $50-60 range. (We got it at Sport Mart, which is now Sports Authority),
My husband used a Swiss Army backpack throughout college and med school, and he had the heaviest backpack I had ever lifted. We still use that one too. You can get those at Target.
Pottery Barn Kids or Teen. They arent the cheapest, but they are offering free shipping right now on them, and they are excellent quality!
Costco. They are High Sierra backpacks, extremely durable. And you can't beat the price, $14.99.
LL Bean makes good quality stuff and you can get one with your child’s name embroidered on it. You can also check out any sporting goods store they will have a good selection too.
Check out LLBean or Land's End. They have a good variety of backpacks (and lunch boxes) and they are EXCELLENT quality. I haven't yet had one from either company wear out. And our family has been using them for hmmm going on 7 years now? Starting when my son was in 3rd grade.... Back when he and his little sister liked to THROW their things out of the car onto the sidewalk when getting out, and throw them into the floorboard when getting in. :(
One lunch box has even survived being lost on the playground.
Oh.. if you don't want to do mail order, my daughter has a backpack from Swiss Army. It is pretty good quality and has held up pretty nicely. But they are just as costly as the mail order ones. And Mail order (LLB & LE) offer free replacement for life.
We bought GapKids backpacks, and they lasted a really long time. I think Lands End Kids backpacks are also very sturdy.
Sporting good stores sell backpacks that are more sturdy - but also WAAAAY more expensive unless you hit a sale or have a coupon. Check out Kohls too. This is when girls are tougher than boys. My DD was very fussy about the appearance of her backpack - we did Disney princesses, then that was out and we did solid purple, then pink, then patterned, etc. She's 16 now and still switching off her tote bags and such. In middle school around here all the "popular" girls switch over to large tote from Abercrombie or American Eagle, etc. Be prepared to go through this forever. I think it's the pre-cursor to shoes and pocketbooks that we women get so strange about!
Go to LL Bean, my daughter does not need a real one yet, but that will be where I get it. They also warranty their products...
It is worth the few extra $$... buy quality once or garbage many times over... like you I am sick of the garbage...
Have you tried a ross thats where i get my sons
You need one that is at least 16" tall.
Go for the general patterns, hearts, solids, general designs, not specific characters.
We are getting ours from Lands End this year, simply because someone gave us a gift card. They are have a big sale right now.
http://www.landsend.com/ix/girls-clothing/Girls/backpacks...
High Sierra backpacks are good too.
I finally decided to order a good one for my daughter last year from Land's End. yes it certainly cost more, but it will last a few years and it's guarenteed. i figure it really doesn't cost more in the long run because I would end up buying 2 or even 3 cheaper ones from walmart or target each year.
They have a nice variety of sizes, colors, patterns and such.
